Green Options

The last time you visited an aquarium, you probably saw one. With their zebra-like stripes, multiple spines, and elaborate fins, they’re quite beautiful and incredibly distinctive. But red lionfish are also voracious carnivores that breed like rabbits and are poisonous to boot. And they’re invading the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

In a bit of good news for sharks, Unilever, a global cosmetics company that makes Dove and Pond’s brands, will stop using shark liver oil, or squalene, in the making of its cosmetics. Squalene-free products that use a plant-based substitute could be on the shelves as soon as spring of 2008. The announcement heralded marine conservation group Oceana’s efforts to build awareness among cosmetics manufacturers and end the use of squalene.